1996 Receives much attention in the fashion media for his Autumn/Winter “Gothic" collection

1997 Succeeds John Galliano as head designer for French haute Couture house, Givenchy; first collection in Greek Style, featuring a headdress of golden ram horns

2010 Took his life nine days after the death of his mother

Vivienne Westwood

“In the sea of banality (dullness), distinction, and elegance of dress is more value today than it ever was before." -Vivienne Westwood

Westwood's fashion is theatrical and unpredictable, often playing on the edge of bad taste. Her designs skillfully and intentially push the boundaries between traditional, vulgar, and middle-class taste. Anyone aspiring to wear the Fashion Queen's label must be prepared to stand out.

1941 Born Vivienne Isabel Swire on April 8 in Glossop, Derbyshire, Great Britain

1957 Libre line based on the vareuses (fishermen type smocks); dies on October 23 in Montecatini Terme, Italy; Yves Saint Laurent takes over as artistic director

1961 Marc Bohan made artisitic director

1970-80 Christian Dior Monsieur line

1989 Gianfranco Ferre made artistic director

From 1997 John Galliano chief designer

Emilio Pucci

“I did color variations, mixed colors together, and imagined colors together. The first scarf was a map of Capri." - Emilio Pucci

February 12, 1957, is the official birth date of Italian haute couture. However, this date is not significant unless it is seen within the historical and social context of Italy at that time and during the period immediately preceding it.

1914 Born Marchese Emilio Pucci di Barsento on November 20 in Naples, Italy

Studies political science; serves as pilot in World War II, afterwards flies passenger aircraft

1947 A fashion photographer for Harper's Bazaar discovers Pucci skiing in a self-made ski suit; the ski suit with new tapered pants is produced in the United States

1985 Experiences a major comeback through a renewed interest in his style, colors and patterns, leggings and bodysuits

1992 Dies on November 30 in Florence; daughter Laudomia carries on the company

Carolina Herrera

(born María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño (born January 8, 1939) is a Venezuelan and naturalized American fashion designer and entrepreneurwho founded her eponymous company in 1980.

Herrera was born in Caracas, Venezuela, a daughter of Guillermo Pacanins Acevedo, an air-force officer who later became Governor of Caracas, and his wife, the former María Cristina Niño Passios. Based in New York City since 1980, throughout the 1970s and 1980s she was named one of the best dressed women in the world. Her clients have included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Renee Zellweger.

In 1957, Herrera married Guillermo Behrens Tello, a Venezuelan landowner, with whom she had two daughters, Mercedes and Ana Luisa. They divorced in 1964.

In 1968, in Caracas, she married Reinaldo Herrera Guevara, the host of "Buenos Dias", a Venezuelan morning-television news program and the elder son of a prominent Venezuelan landowner and art collector; he is now a special-projects editor of Vanity Fair magazine. Carolina and Reinaldo Herrera have two daughters, Carolina Adriana and Patricia Cristina.

Missoni

Missoni is an Italian fashion house based in Varese. It is famous for its unique knitwear, made from a variety of fabrics in colourful patterns. The company was founded by Ottavio ("Tai") and Rosita Missoni in 1953.

Ottavio "Tai" Missoni was born in 1921 in Dubrovnik (Ragusa in Italian). His father, Vittorio Missoni, was an Italian sea captain (and son of a Friulano magistrate transferred in the then Austrian- ruled Dalmatia) and his mother, Teresa de' Vidovich Countess di Capocesto e Ragosniza, was a dalmatian-Italian noblewoman. Before WWII he was an international athlete, but spent most of the war as a POW in Egypt. After the war he set up a workshop with his friend Giorgio Oberweger, making wool track-suits. His "Venjulia" tracksuits were adopted by the Italian team at the 1948 Olympics in London, and Tai himself qualified for the final of the 400m hurdle race. At Wembley he met Rosita Jelmini, daughter of a family of shawl makers in Golasecca in the province of Varese.

They married in April 1953, and set up a small knitwear workshop in Gallarate, not far from Rosita's home village. In 1958 they presented in Milan their first collection, called Milano-Simpathy, which was the first to bear the Missoni label. The business prospered, with the support of legendary editor Anna Piaggi, then at Arianna. On a trip to New York, Rosita met the French stylist Emmanuelle Khanh in 1965, which led to a collaboration and a radical new collection the following year. Their fame was assured in April 1967, when they were invited to show at the Pitti Palace in Florence. Rosita told the models to remove their bras, supposedly because they were the wrong colour and showed through the thin lamé blouses. The material became transparent under the lights and caused a sensation. The Missonis were not invited back the following year, but the business went from strength to strength, building a new factory in Sumirago in 1969. With their designs being championed in the US by Diana Vreeland, editor of Vogue magazine, they opened their first boutique there, inside Bloomingdales.

The early 1970s saw Missoni reach the peak of their influence in the fashion world. Tai Missoni then became more interested in other projects, everything from designing costumes for La Scala, to designing carpets and tapestries. Rosita has admitted that in the 1990s she lost interest in fashion, before handing over to her daughter Angela in 1998. Rosita now is responsible for overseeing the design of all home projects.

Valentino

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani (born 11 May 1932), best known as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino SpA brand and company. His main lines were Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino.

1959 Having completed his fashion studies and an apprenticeship with Jean Desses and Guy Laroche, Valentino starts up his first studio in Rome

1960 Begins his collaboration with Giancarlo Giammetti, who manages the commercial development of the House of Valentino

1962 His first collection at the international fashion Gotha in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, is a triumphant success

1964 Jacqueline Kennedy becomes a client.

1965 Valentino is recognized as the top name in Italian Haute Couture

1967 He is awarded the Neiman Marcus Prize in Dallas

1968 Valentino's reputation is secured with the enormous success of his "Collezione Bianca", the first clothes and accessories to have the magic "V" label. Designs the wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis.

1969Begins his Boutique line of clothes and opens the first Valentino shop in Milan

1970 Launch of his first ready-to-wear collections Opening of Valentino boutiques in Rome and New York

1971 Opening of the first menswear shop in Via Condotti

1971 Valentino creates a new uniform collection for Trans World Airlines (TWA)stewardesses.

1975 First fashion show of his Ready-to-Wear collection in Paris

1976 Opens a boutique in Tokyo

1978 Launch of the Valentino perfume at a gala evening in Paris, at the Theater des Champs Elysees

1982 Publication of the book Valentino, edited by Franco Maria Ricci 20 September, Valentino presents his Autumn/Winter collection at the Metropolitan Museum in New York

1983 Valentino lends his talents to the Lincoln Continental, an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. His contribution includes unique color combinations for the 1983, 1984, and 1985 model years of the car.

1984 Valentino celebrates his twenty-fifth year in the business and receives an official award from the Minister for Industry

1985 He is awarded the Grand'Ufficiale dell'Ordine al Merito by the President of Italy

1986 Receives the highest decoration possible in Italy, the Cavaliere di Gran Croce, from the President

1989 First show of the haute couture collection in Paris

1990 In February, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti found L.I.F.E. (acronym in Italian for "Fighting, Informing, Building, Teaching"), an association working for the fight against Aids. The Accademia Valentino is also officially opened to the public with an exhibition of painters of the Roman School Exhibition of "The Art of Cartier" at the Accademia Valentino Publication of the book "Valentino: Trent'Anni de Magia", by Leonardo arte.

1991 To celebrate his 30th year in the fashion business, an exhibition entitled "Valentino: Thirty Years of Magic" is organized in Valentino's honour by the Mayor of Rome at the Capitole Museum, while the Accademia Valentino presents a retrospective of his designs. Creation of the perfume Vendetta for men and women.

1992 Exhibition at the Accademia Valentino entitled: "La seduzione da Boucher a Warhol" The "Valentino: Thirty Years of Magic"' exhibition is invited to go to New York to coincide with the fifth centenary celebrations of the discovery of America. Valentino is invited by the Chinese government to stage a show in Beijing* 1994 – In January, Valentino presents his first ever costume designs at the Eisenhower Theatre in the Kennedy Center Washington, D.C., for an opera entitled The Dream of Valentino, based on the life of the movie star Rudolf Valentino

1995 Valentino's return to Italy is celebrated on 14 January in Florence with a fashion show at the Stazione Leopolda, over thirty years his first show at the Palazzo Pitti. The Mayor of Florence awards him the "Premio speciale dell'arte nella moda"

1996 Valentino is named Cavaliere del Lavoro

2004 launch of V perfume which will be followed by V for men

2006 President Chirac awards Valentino of the Légion d'honneur

2007 4 September: Valentino announces his retirement

2008 23 January, Valentino shows his last Haute-Couture show, and retires fully from the world stage

2010 1 January, Dancers of the Vienna State Opera Ballet wear his special designed costumes for the world wide broadcoasted New Years Concert played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

2010 15 December, Valentino's early works will be exhibited at Valentino, Retrospective: Past, Present and Future

Mr. ROBERT REDFORD

Very cool in its own right, Mr. Redford's style really comes alive when he's in character, and never more so than when he was dressed by Mr. Ralph Lauren for 1974's The Great Gatsby. Between the sumptuous suits and Mr. Redford's aristocratic bearing, the film is a masterclass in how to dress up; the fully accessorised look is back in vogue this season.

MR. CLARK GABLE

The star of Gone With The Wind is remembered as an impeccably groomed smoothie, which conceals the fact that his studio, MGM, initially promoted his unpolished masculinity. Despite these origins few men have ever worn clothes as well as Mr Gable, whose appearance in his publicity photographs probably explains why the co-stars he enjoyed romantic success with included Ms Grace Kelly and Ms Joan Crawford.

MR. DAVID BOWIE

Sartorial chameleon Mr Bowie could easily be five different style icons, but to our eyes his best-dressed era was the late 1970s and early 1980s, when he mined a seam of fashionable tailoring that demonstrates that it's possible to wear the traditional elements of menswear but make them entirely your own. Although few other men could carry off this sage-green suit, many could take a leaf out of his book with regards to the bow tie and plaid shirt combination.

SIR MICK JAGGER

Admittedly, it shouldn't be too hard for a skinny, long-haired rock star to figure out how to work a look. Especially in the 1960s. But this Rolling Stone, along with drummer Mr Charlie Watts, nailed it immediately. And Sir Jagger has continued to do so ever since. Admirably, he has happily shown that colour, pattern and a good fit can work for even the most red-blooded of us.

MR. JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT

Mr. Basquiat was a graffiti artist on the 1980s New York art scene, legendary for wearing high-priced designer suits to paint in. In his short 27-year-life he modelled for Comme des Garçons, starred in a Blondie music video, dated Madonna and collaborated with Mr Andy Warhol.

MR. LAPO ELKANN

Mr Elkann, the manager of brand promotion at Fiat - a company once led by his highly stylish grandfather, Mr Agnelli - is by no means your typical Italian scion. His personal life has been as playful as his dress sense. A regular at all the best parties - as well as on Vanity Fair's annual Best-Dressed List - we love the way he takes all the menswear rules and throws them artfully in the air.

MR. GIANNI AGNELLI

Mr. Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli was an Italian industrialist, president of Fiat and, according to many at the time, the true "king of Italy". While he ruled over the Italian economy and European high society during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, he was admired as much for his dress sense as his business one. He mastered the art of sprezzatura - making the difficult look easy. His style trademarks included wearing a watch over his shirt sleeve (saves time) and leaving his tie slightly askew, or hanging over his sweater. It may have looked accidental, but Mr Agnelli wasn't a man to leave anything to chance.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY HAILE SELASSIE

His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. In fact, his full title was: His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and Elect of God. He was also, at the time of his reign, the most bemedalled ruler in the world. Befitting for someone who could trace his ancestry back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Selassie could certainly rock up a regal look or two.

LORD GLENCONNER

Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, was famous for having fun. And who can criticise a guy for that? He bought the West Indian island of Mustique - most of us make do with just booking a hotel - and transformed it into a multimillionaires' playground in the late 1960s. A gregarious host, and close friend of Princess Margaret, Lord Glenconner dressed like the quintessential tropical patriarch, peppering his wardrobe with bright colours, tunics and wide-brimmed hats. And it somehow worked.